K.L. Kranes

Only 3 days to go until Halloween. Now adults can have fun on Halloween. (It’s allowed. Don’t feel bad.) But, let’s face it, kids relish dressing up in costumes and stuffing themselves full of candy more than most of their adult counterparts. (I said most, not all.) In honor of that, here’s a list of great kid’s books to get those tots in the Halloween spirit. Don’t have young kids?  Shhhh, don’t tell anyone but some of these will make even adults laugh.

For the Goofy Pun- and Dog-Lover (I know there’s another one out there. I can’t be alone!)
The Hallo-wiener by Dav Pilkey
Dogs + Halloween + a story of acceptance of things that are “different.” You really can’t go wrong here. The name alone sells it. (Spoiler alert: Oscar saves the day!)

For the Fan of Wicked (But Good-Hearted) Fun
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
This plucky, adorable book follows a witch for a night. (Yes, yes, witches again. They are all over my blog. I love them, what can I say? Wrote a book about them!) This enchantress essentially becomes a flying uber driver (So a broo-uber driver? That’s a bad one, I know). She gives away free rides to those in need until…I don’t want to spoil the end. But, this great feel-good book will warm your heart.

For the Klassic Kid (Yes, I spelled it wrong. It was intentional. Simmer down.)
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
You might not think “Halloween” when you think of this classic. But, this book is about a kid who gets dressed up in a costume and goes to a strange island with a bunch of monsters. That sounds like appropriate Halloween material to me.

For the Kid Who Likes Just a Little Bit of Scare (Just a little)
The Bernstein Bears and The Spooky Old Tree by Stan Berenstain, Jan Berenstain
As a child I had a small obsession with this book. It has adventure and just the right amount of surprises to make it a perfect Halloween book for kids who want to have a tiny bit of scare in their Halloween story.

For the Kids Who Want a BIG story
The Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman, S. D. Schindler
This is an adorable book about a witch (yes, again!) who makes an enormous pumpkin but can’t move it. Some other ghouls and ghosts try to help her out. It might surprise you how they finally solve the conundrum.

For the Scaredy Kid
Bad Kitty Scaredy-Cat by Nick Bruel
The Bad Kitty series of books are always a “treat”. Now there’s one about Halloween. That kitty never fails to get into trouble. We never fail to love every page of it!

For the Slightly Older Crowd (You know, the ones who can handle a little carrot blood)
Bunnicula by Deborah Howe 
This one is for the older kids. It’s not a picture book. However, it’s an entertaining story that your 8+ year-old will love about a vampire bunny. It’s a sprinkle of adorable, a dash of clever and just the right amount of gooey scary goodness to satisfy your kid’s Halloween reading cravings.